Pool Safety Week July 22-29

   Water parks, municipal swimming pools and other indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities will be designating a day next week as “Pool Safely Day,” scheduling special events to remind everyone about pool safety. The events will be held in conjunction with the Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign.

   The American Red Cross is partnering with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on the campaign.  Pool Safely works with partners around the country to reduce child drownings, near-drownings, submersions and entrapment incidents in swimming pools and spas. Parents, caregivers, and the media are encouraged to visit PoolSafely.gov or @PoolSafely on Twitter for vital safety information regarding the prevention of child submersions in and around pools and spas.

   This year, the campaign focus is on populations most at risk of drowning - children younger than 5 years old and African American and Hispanic children between the ages of five and 14. Almost 75 percent of child drowning fatalities involve young children under five. Statistics also show 70 percent of African American children and 62 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, making them especially vulnerable around pools.

 Whether you’re taking a dip in the pool or enjoying a day at the beach, the Red Cross encourages safety. Some easy and simple steps to take when at or near a swimming pool include:

·         Staying close to children, being alert and watching them in and around the pool

·         Learning and practicing water safety skills (know how to swim and learn First Aid and CPR)

·         Having the appropriate equipment (compliant drain covers, alarms, fences and other barriers, and sensors)

Ideally, you should learn to swim before enjoying the water. Here are some steps to take to enjoy your summer water fun:

·         Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.

·         Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

·         Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

·         Enroll in Red Cross Water Safety, First Aid and CPR/AED courses or take the online Home Pool Essentials course to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

·         Download the American Red Cross First Aid App.

    With children, constant supervision is key. Keep them in your line of sight at all times when enjoying the pool. Other steps to take include:

·         Secure the pool with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

·         Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

·         Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

·         Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

·         If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.